The graveyard at Abu Road

Aubrey, my younger brother, came over last week for a visit and to renew his expired driver's licence. When I checked my licence, I realised it was due to expire in January. Because both licences were granted by Sirohi, the difficulty of travelling there for renewal loomed. I had, however, heard about a new office on Abu Road dedicated to this purpose, so I phoned an agent there to confirm.

The agent told us to bring two passport-size pictures and our licences, and he assured us that it would ease the renewal procedure through his office. We set off on the trek on November 11th, only to find ourselves stuck in severe post-Diwali traffic in both directions. Despite the traffic jams, the nice weather made the annoyance bearable.

We were told to return in December for the renewal after visiting the agent's office and completing the relevant papers. They only processed renewals one month in advance. I couldn't help but sigh with relief at the prospect of not having to travel to Sirohi.

Aubrey, a devoted Catholic, expressed a wish to visit the gravesites of our maternal grandpa George Ernest Sarstedt and great-grandmother Florence Anvie Gaskin. The Abu Road graveyard, which was formerly a lovely area with well-kept flower beds and hedges until the 1970s, astounded me with its current state. Vandalism had taken its toll, and the church appeared to be neglected in its maintenance. It was distressing to see the lack of respect for the departed in today's society.